


Flour

by starsandsignals



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baking, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kissing, M/M, Mordred hate, flour, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 20:58:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1525463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandsignals/pseuds/starsandsignals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin needs flour for his job, Arthur needs to make cookies for Morgana. There's only one bag of flour left at the supermarket.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flour

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfic, I am looking forward to all reviews and criticism.  
> Thanks to Shaunna and Emily who beta-ed my work. Check us out on tumblr at nigelaveragejingham.tumblr.com , http://www.tumblr.com/blog/bakuras-chan, and http://shatterednames.tumblr.com
> 
> Enjoy. :)

 

_Flour, flour, flour,_ Arthur thinks to himself as he jogs through the supermarket checking his watch every few seconds. _Jesus, why do they always make things so difficult to find? Home baking, it’ll be down there won’t it? Yes, there!_ As he bends down to pick up the only remaining bag of self-raising flour another hand shoots out to grab it as well. “Hey! I need that,” a clear, country voice exclaims.

“Really? What for? I doubt it’s really that necessary,” Arthur replies as he brings his eyes up to meet the blue ones of a tall, dark, handsome stranger. _Cliché much?_

 “Come on, mate, I’m really desperate. I’ll pay you!”

“Do I know you?” The man shook his head and replied jovially.

“I’m Merlin.”

“So I don’t know you, then?” **Merlin** shook his head again. “Yet, you called me ‘mate’? I’m assuming you don’t know who I am?” Merlin looked down at his feet and it was clear, even to Arthur, the most socially inept person on the planet, that he was getting uncomfortable. _Oh, fuck._ He looked at his watch. _Double fuck_. “How much of this do you need?” asked Arthur, hoping that Merlin would let it go.

“As much as possible. We’ve completely run out at work and the nearest shop after this is half an hour’s bike ride away.” Merlin answered him but still looked uncomfortable.

“Well, I need 200 grams and this bag is 2 kilograms and the shop apparently doesn’t have anything smaller so why don’t you come back to mine, I’ll measure out what I need and you can have the rest. My name’s Arthur by the way.”

“Okay, but one question. Are you an axe murderer?”

“Yes Merlin, let me tell you that vital piece of information that will definitely make you want to come back to my cannibalistic lair,” Arthur snorted, “oh, and I’ll pay for the flour.” _Smooth._

_****************_

Merlin’s voice interrupted the awkward silence in Arthur’s Mercedes on the way back to his flat that he shared with his sister, Morgana. “Who are you?” At Arthur’s confused glance he continued, “you assumed that I didn’t know who you were and only arrogant, famous people do that.” _Shit, he made insults sound sexy._

“I’m Arthur Pendragon.” _And I can be a dick sometimes_. “You know, Uther Pendragon’s son. My father practically runs the country and I am seen as a national disgrace after being rather publicly outed by my ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Merlin’s voice was small when he replied, “I’m sorry”

“What for? You did nothing.” _Why’s he apologising, he should never have to apologise._

“No, but being forced out is awful. I didn’t choose to come out. I still have nightmares. Mordred’s dad didn’t like me so when Mordred made me tell him that we were having sex it didn’t end well.” Merlin sounded like he was speaking from some far off time or place. _What happened?_ “Anyway, are we nearly there?” Merlin snapped back to the present and Arthur acted like he hadn’t heard the most intriguing mystery since watching ‘The Empty Hearse’.

“Yes, just pulling up.” Arthur parked in his usual spot on the street and let Merlin gaze in wonder at the building. _No one has the right to look that gorgeous. But I’m not going to take that away from him am I?_

_***************_

 

 

“This is not a flat. This is a bungalow-mansion, Arthur. Do you have an extra-amazing job?”

“Not really, I work at the advertising company that my father owns. I work with my sister, Morgana, and my PA, Gwen is really nice. What about you? Where could you possibly work that uses and needs so much flour?”

Merlin answered absent-mindedly, still gazing in wonder at the living/dining room that led from the hall into the kitchen. “I run a bakery with my friends Freya and Lance.” _Oh, that is kind of obvious now I think about it._ It’s actually just up the road from here, it’s called Kilgarrah’s.”

“So, working in a bakery, I assume you know how to make cookies? That’s what I need the flour for and if I manage to mess up cookies Morgana will kill me.” _Please help, even if helping means I just ogle your arse._ Merlin thought about it before sending a quick text and nodding towards Arthur.

“Okay, I think I can manage that”

20 minutes later both men were sprawled on Arthur’s sofa drinking coke and playing 20 questions. “Favourite colour?” asked Merlin.

“Red.” _But maybe the blue of your eyes instead_.

“No way, me too! Or maybe blue, I like both.”

“Favourite TV show? Mine’s Sherlock.” Arthur was kind of worried about this answer. _It could make or break a relationship!_

“Sherlock as well, or maybe the RTD era of Doctor Who, Mordred and I used to watch that together all the time.” Merlin’s voice took on a tone of sadness whenever he spoke about Mordred so Arthur decided to ask him what happened.

“I mean, you don’t have to… I guess I… no, just forget it.” _Oh, shit. I’ve screwed this up completely._

 

“I met Mordred at a club one evening and he was so sweet and charming and everything anyone looks for in a partner. We went back to his house and I stayed over but we didn’t sleep together because I thought that I wasn’t ready. He was so understanding about it for about two months then he started getting really moody and whenever I asked him if he was OK he just said that his dad was getting to him. This went on for ages and we still hadn’t slept together yet. Until he raped me.” Merlin’s eyes were glassy and Arthur could see he was trying not to cry.

 

“He did it to me loads of times but he never hit me or hurt me in any other way so I thought that the relationship was fine, plus all of my friends were his friends so I couldn’t talk to anyone without him knowing. One night, Gwaine hit on me in a bar and Mordred got really jealous and tried to drag me away but Gwaine gave me his number and told me to call him. I called him when Mordred was at work and told him everything, he was amazing, he introduced me to Freya and I taught him how to bake and eventually he helped me get away from Mordred.” _Christ on a bike._

 

“Merlin, I’m sorry, I… I shouldn’t have asked” Arthur reached out tentatively towards him before the peace was shrilly interrupted by the smoke alarm.

“The cookies!” Merlin cried, “ They’re a bit, um, burnt.”

“That’s ok, any chance I could buy some from your bakery and say I baked them?” Arthur asked sheepishly.

“No, you can have them for free, you paid for the flour. Come on.”

Merlin walked towards the door but paused when Arthur said, “wait, Merlin, can I kiss you?”

 

“I thought you’d never ask-“ He was interrupted by the press of Arthur’s plump, full lips on his, and if they ended up leaving the flat ten minutes later than they planned, no-one had to know.

 

 

                                             **5 YEARS LATER**

 

 

 

Merlin pushed the trolley round the supermarket, following Arthur as he led him to the home baking aisle. “Arthur, what do we need from here?”

“I need to ask you this.” Arthur knelt on one knee in front of the 2kilogram bag of flower and pulled out a ring box. “Merlin, you have been the best person ever to come into my life, and I would like you to stay here. Will you marry me?” _Oh, what if he says no, what if he runs away what if he-_

 

“Yes, yes, yes, and I’m not crying.” (He was.) They kissed right there, in the middle of the home baking isle until an employee told them to either pay for their shopping and leave or get thrown out. “We have to tell everyone else a different story though,” Merlin said.

“Why?”

“Because I’m not telling our friends that we got engaged in a supermarket.” _Fair enough, I’m still the luckiest man in the world._


End file.
